


That Day in Athens

by tabsy



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Alexios is Deimos (Assassin's Creed), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, How Do I Tag, Kassandra is a protective older sister, there are minor characters but why bother tagging them, things are grey and a little grim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:40:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24497347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabsy/pseuds/tabsy
Summary: Kassandra is there to protect Phoibe when the Cult of Kosmos strikes in Athens.
Relationships: Kassandra & Phoibe (Assassin's Creed)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 44





	That Day in Athens

Athens bled in the throes of the plague.  
  
Starving dogs roamed about, picking apart the multitude of scraps left by disease and desperate men. Bodies burned in the streets. A heavy gloom filled the air.  
  
Kassandra certainly wouldn’t be here if she didn’t have a purpose. A misthios cannot do very much about disease. She had been lucky enough to run into Hippocrates, who set her to burning bodies. While important, she would not have come here for that.  
  
No, Kassandra was here to get help finding her mother from the one person who might be able to assist - Aspasia.  
  
And now there was a crowd in her way. Closer to a mob, really.  
  
She was startled by a small figure emerging from the crowd and running up to her.  
  
“Kassandra! You’re back! Gotta run, sorry!” Phoibe was energetic as ever, but Kassandra hated to see her in a place like this.  
  
“Wait! Where…”  
  
“I’ll be right back. See you at Aspasia’s!” With that, she ran off.  
  
Kassandra shook her head. “Sometimes I think you’re too much like me.”  
  
She took a step forward, then frowned. She looked in the direction Phoibe ran off to, just in time to see her dart out of sight.  
  
She hesitated, than jogged after her. “Phoibe!” she called. “Wait up!”  
  
It took Kassandra a minute to catch up, but she made it before Phoibe got too far.  
  
“It’s too dangerous to be out here alone!” she scolded the young girl.  
  
“But Aspasia sent me to deliver a message to Anastasios!”  
  
“Who is Anas - actually, no, that doesn’t matter. I’m coming with you.”  
  
“Fine. Just hurry up!”  
  
Kassandra chuckled and shook her head before hurrying.  
  
Phoibe was off like a shot, expertly weaving through the streets and alleys of the city. Kassandra followed close behind.  
  
Before long they came to the house, apparently Anastasios’s. The door was closed.  
  
Phoibe knocked.  
  
There was a moment before a man answered it. He looked to be a slave or servant of some kind. “Yes?” he asked warily.  
  
“I have a message to give to Anastasios,” Phoibe said, sounding practiced.  
  
The two exchanged some more words. Kassandra looked around warily, not really paying attention to the conversation. There was nothing in these streets that scared her, exactly. Still, there was something not quite right here.  
  
They were let in after a minute.  
  
Kassandra gathered that they were there to let Anastasios know that Anastasia and Perikles required a ferry. Anastasios seemed like a nice enough man, she supposed.  
  
She couldn’t shake the odd feeling in the back of her neck. Like they were being watched. It made her anxious.  
  
It sounded like the conversation was wrapping up, so she closed her eyes for a moment and breathed deep. _Just nerves. You’re not used to plague, it’s putting you on edge._ She felt her muscles relax a little.  
  
Her momentary peace was interrupted by the sound of Ikaros screeching loudly somewhere above. Her eyes shot open and she looked around.  
  
She’d almost decided it was nothing when the door slammed open in the other room, clearly kicked in.  
  
Kassandra drew her sword and the Spear of Leonidas as she shouted at those in the room. “Everyone get down! Phoibe, hide!”  
  
And arrow shot through the door, nailing Anastasios square in the chest. _Malaka…_  
  
Panic engulfed the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Phoibe hide under a table.  
  
Kassandra pounced on the first man through the door. _A Cultist! Shit._  
  
The man parried the first strike, but quickly found himself with a blade embedded in his side. Not dead yet, but not looking good.  
  
She dodged a savage swing from the second Cultist before nicking him with a cut of her own.  
  
Kassandra was bowled over by a third Cultist, this one wielding a large shield.  
  
She heard the servants’ screams as more armed men entered the room. Thankfully, Phoibe seemed to be keeping quiet.  
  
She rolled out of the way of a strike from the shielded Cultist before jumping once more to her feet.  
  
The man tried a slash, but she sidestepped and managed to jam her sword through his throat.  
  
Looking up, Kassandra realized it was too late to save the household. Most of them lay dead or dying. What feeble resistance they’d offered was quickly broken.  
  
Two Cultists came at her now, pressing her hard.  
  
Kassandra parried the first strike, dodged the second, only barely avoided the third and fourth.  
  
She struck out, opening a large cut across one of the Cultist’s legs. The man screamed, suddenly struggling to stand.  
  
The other landed a knife cut across her arm, drawing blood. She hissed in pain.  
  
She dodged the next slice, grabbed his arm and slammed him into the wall with a shout. Dazed, he was helpless as she stabbed him in the back.  
  
Phoibe screamed. Kassandra whipped around, panicked.  
  
The largest of the men had found her, and was now dragging her out from under the table. He laughed wickedly as she shrieked.  
  
“Phoibe! NO!”  
  
Kassandra embedded her sword in the man unable to stand before desperately hurling the Spear at the large man. It flew just south of her intended target, plunging into the monster’s shoulder. He roared in pain and dropped Phoibe.  
  
She pulled the sword from her last victim and launched herself at the large man, totally ignoring the other Cultists in the room. Her first strike crushed through his guard, sending his sword clattering to the floor. Her second took his head.  
  
His lifeless body slumped to the floor as she turned to the remaining men. Phoibe scrambled behind her, breathing hard.  
  
Kassandra pointed her sword at the man in the middle. “If any of you malakes lay a fucking finger on her I will make you _suffer_ ,” she growled.  
  
They hesitated. Then the one in the middle spoke. “Orders are orders. No survivors.” They advanced.  
  
Kassandra let out a primal scream and charged the men.  
  
A minute later she slumped against the wall, the Cultists dead.  
  
“Kassandra?”  
  
“Yes, Phoibe?”  
  
“Are you…okay?”  
  
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” She was a little battered and winded, sure, but nothing serious. “Let’s go. Before anyone else shows up.”  
  
They stepped out of the house, making their way cautiously back to the home of Perikles and Aspasia.  
  
Phoibe was silent the whole way. She stayed close enough to Kassandra, but seemed hesitant to get within a few feet of her.  
  
_She’s scared of me now. Of course._  
  
Kassandra supposed it made some sense. Phoibe had seen her fight and kill before. Not like that, though. Not like that.  
  
They made it safely through the streets.  
  
Outside the estate, Kleon appeared to be inciting a mob. This worried Kassandra, but with Phoibe in tow she decided to avoid the potential threat and pass along the outskirts.  
  
Once they left of the eyes of the crowd outside the estate, Kassandra turned to the girl, kneeling to reach eye level.  
  
“Phoibe. Are you okay?”  
  
“Yes, Kassandra.” Phoibe shifted as she stood there, avoiding her gaze.  
  
“Look at me.” Phoibe obeyed. “Did that scare you?”  
  
The girl hesitated, then swallowed and nodded. “It did.”  
  
“Better. Look, being afraid is natural, and denying your feelings doesn’t help anything. I just want you to know that I’ll protect you as best I can.”  
  
Phoibe looked a little relieved. “I know. I just wasn’t expecting….I don’t know, I’ve just never seen you crush a man’s head with your foot before.”  
  
_Oh boy._ “Well, I only did that because I was protecting you.” Kassandra stood up. “If you get scared, just remember to breathe. Now, we need to go…talk…with Aspasia.”  
  
Kassandra entered in the building, Phoibe following close behind.  
  
They found the woman talking with several other aristocrats, all of them looking somewhat stressed. She noted Sokrates sitting alone in the corner, uncharacteristically quiet and clearly very deep in thought.  
  
She walked up behind Aspasia, clearing her throat and crossing her arms as she stopped. The aristocrat turned with a start.  
  
“Kassandra! I was not expecting you.” Her eyes swept down the misthios’s body. “You are covered in blood.”  
  
“I am. It’s not mine, of course.”  
  
“Well, I am glad you are okay. Oh, and Phoibe! You are back. You delivered the message to Anastasios?”  
  
Kassandra stepped closer to the woman. “The message was delivered, but we were attacked. Anastasios lies dead.”  
  
Aspasia frowned. “That is terrible news-”  
  
“Why did you send Phoibe out there alone?”  
  
“She said she wanted to do this!”  
  
“She is a child!” Kassandra reached forward, grabbing the front of Aspasia’s regal outfit, pulling her closer. “She would have died if I had not met her.”  
  
The room was deathly silent. The few guards in the room were hurrying closer and drawing swords, pointing them at Kassandra.  
  
Aspasia looked worried but said nothing, perhaps concerned that whatever she said might make Kassandra angrier. That concern would be well founded.  
  
She felt a hand on her back. “Kassandra…” Phoibe whispered, “it’s okay. Aspasia isn’t someone you need to protect me from.”  
  
Slowly, Kassandra released her vice-like grip on the dress. The tension dissipated as she did.  
  
Aspasia cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, Kassandra. I should have been more careful with her.”  
  
“Fine.” Kassandra stepped away, pacing and looking around the room.  
  
“We need to figure out another way out, then. I’m sure I can do that. And can I bother the two of you to bring medicine up to Perikles? He seems to have come down with this plague, and is being stubborn about anything that may actually help him.”  
  
“Perikles is ill?”  
  
“He is. I’m sure he’ll live.” Aspasia sighed, then continued dejectedly. “I hope so, anyways. Please, take it up for me.”  
  
Kassandra nodded grimly and took the treatment. She motioned Phoibe to stay downstairs as she ascended to Perikles’ room.  
  
…  
  
_Where is Perikles?_  
  
She hurried into the room, looking around for any sign of him, but found nothing.  
  
Scowling, she rushed downstairs and made her way directly to Aspasia.  
  
“He isn’t there.”  
  
Aspasia stared at her. “What do you mean ‘he isn’t there’?”  
  
“I mean,” Kassandra gestured up at the second floor, “Perikles is gone.”  
  
“Oh, that fool! He must have snuck out and headed for the Parthenon! It’s all he’s talked about recently.”  
  
“Of course.” Kassandra frowned. _Strange…_  
  
“We need to bring him back. It’s not safe out there.”  
  
“I’ll go then. Phoibe! Come on!”  
  
Phoibe hurried over, looking slightly confused. “What’s going on?”  
  
“We’re going to the Acropolis. Perikles is out there and we need to collect him.”  
  
Aspasia frowned. “Phoibe can stay here, I’m sure-”  
  
“So you can send her off again? No, she is safest with me.”  
  
A scowl. “Fine. Regardless, I’m going.”  
  
Kassandra sighed and turned to leave. “Come on, then. Stick close to me, both of you.”  
  
The last thing she saw before they left the house was Sokrates, gazing intently out at a world in disarray.  
  
Kassandra led them quietly through the streets of Athens, careful to avoid attracting attention. She could handle herself, but protecting two other people called for a little more caution.  
  
At long last they reached the steps to the Acropolis. A pair of hungry-looking men looked ready to jump the group, but seemed to think better of it after Kassandra shot them a warning look and put a hand on the pommel of her sword.  
  
Looking up the stairs, Kassandra hesitated and glanced at Phoibe. “Do you need me to carry you? It’s a long way up.”  
  
“I’ll be okay.”  
  
“Let’s go,” Aspasia said in an agitated tone, starting up the steps ahead of them.  
  
Kassandra rolled her eyes and followed. It wasn’t hard to catch up.  
  
The three of them hurried to the top as fast as Aspasia could go. It was hard to tell, but the sky seemed to have darkened somewhat by that time.  
  
It was quiet at the top.  
  
Too quiet.  
  
She couldn’t shake the feeling they were being watched by people just out of view.  
  
They needed to get Perikles and leave as quick as they could.  
  
Kassandra broke into a jog, forcing Phoibe and Aspasia to hurry to follow her.  
  
Phoibe huffed beside her. “Kassandra! Why are we running?”  
  
The mercenary slowed a little at that, and her companions followed suit. She spoke in a hushed tone. “I feel as if something is wrong here. It would be best for us to leave as soon as we get Perikles. And keep quiet. We don’t want to attract attention.”  
  
Aspasia murmured her agreement to that. Phoibe swallowed and nodded.  
  
They walked the rest of the way to the Parthenon in stony silence. It hung heavy, leaving them alone with their thoughts.  
  
Kassandra could practically feel Phoibe yearning to say something to break the tension.  
  
She reached down and grabbed the girl’s hand, giving it a hopefully-reassuring squeeze.  
  
The misthios felt Phoibe’s fear ebb a little and smiled to herself.  
  
They turned a corner.  
  
The voice that haunted Kassanra’s dreams floated out from before them, freezing her in her tracks. “Well, isn’t that sweet.”  
  
Okay, turns out there actually was something in these streets that scared her.  
  
Her brother stepped out from behind a pillar, flanked by a pair of Cultist soldiers.  
  
Kassandra pushed Phoibe roughly behind her. “Deimos,” she said breathlessly.  
  
He advanced on them slowly, in that casually menacing way that unnerved her so. “At least you know my name now.” He chuckled mockingly. “But who is this, sister? Did you have a child and not invite me? Did I kill the father?”  
  
Kassandra swallowed. “No. No. She is not my child.” Her brother drew closer, and she took a nervous step back.  
  
Deimos smirked at that and stopped. “No? Who is she, then? I’m sure she would love to come talk to me.”  
  
She could feel Phoibe shaking, looking out at Deimos from behind her. “Kassandra…why is your brother so scary?” Phoibe whispered loudly.  
  
“It’s all right, lamb,” Kassandra said softly, her gaze fixated on her brother. “He won’t hurt you. Not while I am here.” Her weapons were still sheathed, but she held a white-knuckle grip on the pommel of her sword.  
  
Deimos shook his head. “Attachments make you weak, dear Kassandra. I only came here for Perikles, but perhaps I should teach you a lesson.”  
  
“Don’t do this, Alexios-”  
  
“ALEXIOS is DEAD!” her brother roared. “There is only me!”  
  
“Okay, okay, just please, no one needs to get hurt-”  
  
“Wrong as ever, sister. I am ending Perikles, and you can try to stop me if you wish. Just know that I will kill the aristocrat and give the brat to Kosmos after I slaughter you.”  
  
Deimos turned and sauntered in the other direction; towards, she assumed, where Perikles was now. His men followed him obediently.  
  
Kassandra found herself rooted in place, petrified by her brother’s final threat. The thought of Phoibe being given to the cult…  
  
“What are you doing?” Aspasia hissed into her ear. “You need to save Perikles!”  
  
_Do you really think I don’t know that?_  
  
Kassandra shot her a withering glare. “Perhaps I should hand you over to Deimos so he might kill you as well. You are incredibly unhelpful.”  
  
“And then you might never learn where your mother is.”  
  
If it were possible to glare harder, Kassandra certainly managed it.  
  
Still, she got the point.  
  
“Don’t die while I’m gone, both of you. Phoibe, trip her if you must.” She turned and started after her now-vanished brother. “Pray I succeed.”  
  
Distantly, she was aware of both of them following some distance after her. That annoyed her. But right now she had bigger problems.  
  
Under ideal circumstances, Kassandra might have tried to stealthily take on the Cultists and rescue the statesman. That would have given her a fighting chance, at the least.  
  
Now she just had to try to overcome two elite fighters and perhaps the greatest warrior she had ever seen (who happened to be family) through brute force. While also keeping Perikles safe. And hoping that Aspasia and Phoibe could stay hidden.  
  
Her mind a storm, she drew her sword and spear as she followed the enemy.  
  
She could hear Deimos as she entered the Parthenon.  
  
“...your precious misthios will not save you or your works. I will destroy everything everything you have ever built.”  
  
Perikles was on the floor, cowering beneath him. The two other Cultists stood off to the side slightly.  
  
The attention turned to her. A cruel smirk curled across Deimos’ features. “Have you come to stop me?”  
  
“I have.”  
  
He unsheathed his sword slowly and stepped toward Perikles. “So stop me then.”  
  
It was ridiculous, honestly.  
  
She was the Eagle-Bearer. She had carved a path across Greece, ending a great many men. Tales spread across the Greek world of her strength, her courage, her prowess.  
  
She did not _freeze._  
  
And yet here Kassandra was, paralyzed by fear of her baby brother.  
  
She watched helplessly as Deimos slit the throat of Perikles, leader of Athens.  
  
The politician’s body collapsed fully to the floor. Distantly, Kassandra heard Aspasia scream behind her.  
  
Her brother laughed almost raucously. “Just as I thought. You are…so _weak_.” He shook his head and turned to leave, signaling the other Cultists to follow. “Do not follow me, sister.”  
  
Kassandra stared emptily at the corpse until Aspasia shook her out of her bleak reverie.  
  
“What were you doing? You could have-”  
  
“No. I couldn’t.”  
  
Aspasia turned away angrily.  
  
“Look. It’s not safe here now. I am going to sea, on the Adrestia. I suggest you join me. And Phoibe,” Kassandra knelt before the child, who was looking with a horrified expression at the body. Kassandra gently turned the girl’s chin away. “It’s all right, lamb. We’re going to get ourselves on to my ship and leaving this place. Is that all right?”  
  
Phoibe nodded, saying nothing.

  
  


The moon shone down, clear and bright, as the Adrestia pulled away from the docks.  
  
Kassandra had Barnabas take command as soon as they got aboard, then sat down with Phoibe and Aspasia on the benches behind him.  
  
“We’ll figure out where we’re going in the morning. Just want to get away from Athens as fast as possible. Now, we don’t have much space, but I’m sure Odessa can find cots for the both of you. My men know what will happen if there’s any trouble.”  
  
They were quiet for a while.  
  
Aspasia looked at her and sighed. "I suppose I owe you some thanks.”  
  
“Maybe. There’s no need, though.”  
  
“Well, thank you. I’ll see you in the morning, assuming this ‘Odessa’ can find a cot.”  
  
Kassandra shook her head as Aspasia strode off. “The people I put up with.” She looked at her other companion. “Are you doing all right, Phoibe?”  
  
“Hmm? Yeah. Yeah. Just a long day.”  
  
“You sure?”  
  
Phoibe paused, then sniffed. “Not really. I don’t know if I want to talk about it though.”  
  
“That’s okay.”  
  
“Are there rooms for the cots?”  
  
“Like, individual rooms? No.”  
  
“Oh.” Phoibe looked stressed now. “Is there nowhere else I can sleep? A lot of your men look kind of mean.”  
  
“Mmm. You…could sleep in my room, if you want.”  
  
The girl brightened. “Okay! I’d like that. It’s like when we used to share that roof back on Kephallonia.”  
  
Kassandra’s mouth twitched upwards in a smile. “I suppose it is. Just know that there’s only one bed, so it may get a little cramped.”  
  
“That’s all right, I suppose.”  
  
“Good. I’ll take you there so you can get some sleep.”  
  
Phoibe smiled. “That sounds good, after all that.”  
  
“It really does.”  
  
It took a minute for Phoibe to get in and settled, before Kassandra went back above deck to ensure nothing went wrong until they were well out of danger.  
  
She could see the sky in the east becoming very slightly lighter by the time she made it down to her room herself.  
  
Kassandra slipped into bed as carefully as she could, trying to avoid disturbing Phoibe.  
  
She didn’t quite manage, but the girl didn’t seem to mind, shifting around a little.  
  
Mostly unsure of how to behave in this situation, Kassandra elected to drape an arm over her companion and hold her from behind. Phoibe made a happy noise and nestled in closer.  
  
The exhausted mercenary laid there thinking for a while.  
  
At some point the thinking went too far, and her breath hitched. Closing her eyes, she felt tears building behind them. _It’s all just too fucking much…_  
  
“Kassandra, are you crying?” Phoibe’s voice was groggy, but full of concern.  
  
“Of course not. Go back to sleep, lamb. We’re okay.” She did her best to respond softly.  
  
“Mmkay.”  
  
She felt Phoibe drift off.  
  
Kassandra fell asleep herself a little while later, lulled to comfort by the gentle breathing of the family she had.

**Author's Note:**

> This was born out of annoyance that Phoibe gets killed for almost no reason, which I found a very frustrating part of an otherwise good main plotline.
> 
> Comments are always appreciated.


End file.
